THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume IX, Issue # 225, December 2, 2007
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
AMERICA'S STANDING IN THE WORLD
By Alan Caruba
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS THE GREATEST & MOST HIGHLY RATED SOCIETY IN THE WORLD: THE U.S.A.
AS THE SOLE SUPERPOWER IN THE WORLD TODAY & THE SOVEREIGN NATION-STATE THAT IS, BY FAR, THE MOST
DYNAMIC, MOST INNOVATIVE, & MOST DEVOTED TO REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT,
THE RULE OF LAW, LIBERTY UNDER LAW, & EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS CITIZENS -- AMERICA AS THE NATION
WHOSE POLITICAL & CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM INSPIRES PEOPLE IN THE WORLD'S REMAINING AUTHORITARIAN STATES
TO RISK THEIR LIVES RESISTING TYRANNY AND FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM
FULL STORY:
I am already quite sick of hearing Democratic Party spokesmen, especially its aspiring presidential candidates, say that we
have to “improve America’s standing in the world,” as if the whole world holds our nation in contempt or disagrees with
our actions.
All nations act upon what they believe to be their best interests and those interests are often shaped by their political
philosophy. These things are subject to change. For example, there are some 200 sovereign national and multinational
states in the world today. Of these, 120 are multi-party constitutional democracies. Compare this with 1970, when there
were fewer than 35 nations that were not dictatorships, each operating as an autocracy (absolute rule by one person)
or as an oligarchy (absolute rule by the few). The constitutional democracies of the world were islands in a tremendous
sea of authoritarianism -- a sea of tyranny comprising authoritarian states of the older, more traditional type, as well as
totalitarian or highly authoritarian states operating under the iron fist of the single-party rule of Communism.
One might conclude from this that constitutional democracy is catching on around the world and that, in this new century,
most people want some form of constitutional representative government for their nation.
This is what inspires Buddhist monks to risk their lives to march against the military dictators in Burma (now Myanmar).
This is what provokes outrage in the former Soviet state of Georgia when the rule of law is suspended or, most dramatically,
when lawyers and judges, along with others, pour into the streets of Pakistan when its President seeks to extend his term in
office by declaring an emergency and martial law. It’s thousands of Venezuelans filling the streets to try to stop the
dictatorial ambitions of Hugo Chavez.
Where did these nations and people learn about constitutional democracy and representative government? For the most
part, the United States of America has been both the example and the instrument for the spread of these concepts.
The American Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution are studied by foreigners, as well as by
Americans, to learn the basic principles of self-rule and proper governance “of the people, by the people, and for the
people.”
So, when Democrats cry out that America’s image has been tarnished by the decision to rid the Middle East of a threat to
every other nation in the region — Saddam Hussein and his Baathist government — I suspect the leaders of the nations
most threatened greeted the U.S. decision with relief. As to the “Arab street,” the print and broadcast media in many
nations of the Middle Eastern region are aggressively anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, and anti-American.
An agreement between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government will ensure a drawdown of our troops there and
the long term billeting of 50,000. Iraq is on its way to being a modern, democratic nation. Our common enemy, al-Qa'ida, has
been targeted for elimination and, when Iraq’s oil contributes more fully to the global market, watch the price of a barrel
drop in response.
Who, then, openly despises the United States of America? Hugo Chavez, a aspiring autocrat of Venezuela, for one. Recently,
the King of Spain told him bluntly to “shut up.”
Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a vocal opponent of America, but much of his nation’s population would, if they
could, rid themselves of the ayatollahs and embrace America as an ally.
Vladimir Putin, successor to the leaders of the former Soviet Union, sees America as an obstacle to his ambitions to restore
Russia to superpower status. A recent visit to Iran, however, disabused him of the notion that he was dealing with rational
leaders there.
In contrast, the new President of France, Nicholas Sarkozy, recently gave a stirring speech to the U.S. Congress, praising the
role of America in the world. Indeed, throughout Europe, the protection that America still extends to that continent is
appreciated and many, if only symbolically, sent contingents of military to support our efforts to rid Afghanistan of the
Taliban and to assist in Iraq.
Asia recognizes the role America still plays in the support of constitutional democracy for its nations and the protection of
its sea-lanes upon which they depend for the import and export of goods and raw materials. Having fostered constitutional
democracy in Japan following World War II, that nation is quietly assuming a comparable role in the protection of
constitutional democracy, building a modern military, after decades of reluctance to accept that necessity.
While North Korea remains a prison to its people, South Korea is a thriving democratic state. China remains Communist, but
has accepted Capitalism as its economic engine and will open its doors still further to the world for the 2008 Olympics.
Perhaps, the best measure of confidence in America is the direct foreign investment (FDI) in our nation. U.S. Department of
State figures, as of 2004, reveal that, as of three years ago, FDI was $1.5 trillion on a historical cost basis or, as of 2006, $2.7
trillion at market value of publicly traded firms. European firms accounted for 70% of FDI, followed by Asia and Pacific firms.
Hardly a day goes by without reports of new foreign investment.
The greatest critics of America are often Americans, forever striving to improve every sector of its national life. America is
not above criticism, but it remains the nation that is, by far, the most dynamic, most innovative, most devoted to the rule of
law and equality for all its citizens.
Americans need not worry much about “restoring” our standing among the nations of the world. We are held in very good
standing, thank you.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
International Politics & World Disorder:
War & Peace in the Real World
Page Two
Page One
U.S. National Security Strategy
American Foreign Policy -- Constitutional Democracy:
U.S. Promotion of Constitutional Democracy in Foreign Countries
American Foreign Policy -- The Middle East
Alan Caruba is a veteran business and science writer, a Public Relations Counselor, and Founder of the National Anxiety Center, a
clearinghouse for information about media-driven scare campaigns. Caruba writes a weekly commentary, "Warning Signs," posted
on the Internet website of the National Anxiety Center, which is located at
www.anxietycenter.com.
Caruba has a daily blog at http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com.
Caruba’s new book, Right Answers: Separating Fact from Fantasy, has been published by Merril Press.
© Alan Caruba 2007
Published with Permission of Alan Caruba
ACaruba@AOL.Com
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THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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Conservative Government Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity